Valour hit the spot
Berkshire’s brightest five piece, Valour have created an instant success with this self-titled release. With the bands alternative metal expressions of inner power, they hold some very dark qualities that will not only appeal to fans of such music, but anyone that has the power to overcome inner melancholy.
This album has the perfect opener with ‘Midnight Heartache Pt 1’, not only for Cd but also for a gig. It builds anticipation and suspense and gets nerves and senses heightened. This leads into ‘Orchestra’, a song that rolls off the tongue and continues to leave a listener with tingles down their spine in a very static way. Following on from this is ‘Bracknell Aristocracy’, which kicks in with some very hard hitting melodies, getting a listener revved up for the remainder of the album.
As the album continues, ‘Worth Fighting For’ is much more jam packed with sounds and energy, bursting to the brim with excitement. ‘Die @ My Hands’ creates a much darker atmosphere than the previous songs. There are areas of intensified guitars and rumbling drums that burry deep into your mind. This style of guitar becomes much more electric and slightly more rock based on ‘Glory Euphoria’; it has a tremendously talented ending. ‘Holy F’ is a stand out, attention grabbing, seriously attentive tune that displays a lot of style. As the album nears a close with ‘Midnight Heartache pt 2’, listen out for a pure musically dramatic creation.
These ten songs are perfect if you are in a slightly unenthusiastic, apathetic, down in the dumps mood as it has some wonderfully motivating qualities. Each track has just enough aggression that it demands your attention, but doesn’t frighten or interrogate while you are listening. The vocals hit a nerve, are powerful, rugged, edgy and authoritative. This self-titled release puts a spring back in your step, builds up your inner courage to let out the anger and misery and start to take back the power to feel better about situations you find yourself in.